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By Myrna Trauntvein

Times-News Correspondent

A 61-year old man from Payson was found by rescuers in Juab County's West Desert after being lost for a day.

James Copenhaver, Payson, was found at 8:30 a.m. on the sand two miles northwest of Sand Mountain by Juab County Sheriff David Carter and Millard County Deputy Ross Johnson as they flew over the terrain in the Millard County Sheriff's Office airplane.

Copenhaver had not been seen by his party, who were camped with him at Cherry Creek, since 1 p.m. on Sunday.

"His party searched for him for seven hours before contacting us to ask for help," said Carter.

That call came into the Juab County Sheriff's Office at 8 p.m. Sunday evening.

Carter said he immediately called out the Search and Rescue posse along with their personal four-wheel drive OHV and trucks and two deputies. Along with Carter, the group traveled to the area and spent until 3 a.m. searching for the man.

"At that time I called off the search until the next morning, Monday, at 6 a.m.," said Carter.

On Monday, he called in four search and rescue posse members along with a deputy, to continue the search. The men were stationed, along with the four-wheel vehicles they were driving, at one spot on the sand.

Deputy Justin Kimball was told to stand-by and he would be directed the area, if Copenhaver were found, by radio.

The party with Copenhaver told Carter and the other searchers that they had last seen Copenhaver at the Little Sahara Recreation site as he was riding a four-wheel sand vehicle at Oasis.

"They were camped at Cherry Creek and the Wiese Highway Junction and had been skirting the Dunes on their four-wheel vehicles," said Carter. "They told us they did not think Copenhaver would go out on the soft sand because he was not an experience four-wheel recreation vehicle driver."

For that reason, said Carter, searchers had been concentrating efforts on the area where the group reported they had been riding. Finding no sign of Copenhaver in that area, the search area was broadened.

As he and Johnson flew over the sand, they located the vehicle which had been abandoned by Copenhaver. They could see his footprints in the sand at the site and a few minutes later they spotted him standing in a wash.

"We sent Deputy Kimball to the spot and he took Copenhaver out to where his party was waiting," said Carter. "He was in good shape and in good health and did not require hospitalization."

The rescue team then traveled to the place where the vehicle had been left, put gas in the tank, and took it to Copenhaver.

Carter said he was relieved, after two previous searches failed to find the victims (the body of one was found much later), he was relieved to discover Copenhaver alive and well.

"He had become disoriented and was traveling in the wrong direction," said Carter. "He then ran out of gas in his vehicle."

Temperatures on Sunday evening did not get below 40 degrees, Carter said, so Copenhaver did not suffer with the cold.

Carter said, in addition to the search and rescue group, emergency medical technicians from the West Juab Ambulance Association, had waited on Sunday night until the search was called off.

"I can't begin to thank our volunteers enough for the service they provide this county," said Carter. "If it weren't for the search and rescue volunteers, we would not be able to conduct some of the law enforcement services we have in our county."

The search and rescue posse were people who not only devoted their time but furnished there equipment at their own expense.

"I would hate to do without the services they provide," he said. "Some of the volunteers had to go to work at 3 a.m. on Sunday, but they stayed at the site as long as the search was active."